Condition
Public vs private sector jobs
Are government jobs growing faster than jobs in private business?
Public vs private sector jobs: +10.9% since Jun qtr 2022.
- Latest
- +10.9%
- Since the government took office
- Higher+10.9%
- Over the past year
- Higher+1.1%
Public vs private sector jobs
- Seasonally adjusted
- Public-sector jobs
- Private-sector jobs
What this is
The ABS Labour Account counts filled jobs and classifies each employer as public sector (federal, state and local government and government-owned businesses) or private sector. This compares how fast each has grown since mid-2022.
Why it matters
Private businesses fund the tax base. If government employment grows faster than private employment, more of the economy depends on taxpayers.
More from the figures
- Public-sector filled jobs rose by 237,000 (+10.9%). Private-sector jobs rose by 1,222,000 (+9.6%).
- The public sector made up 14.6% of jobs in June quarter 2022 but 16.2% of the jobs added since.
- Many jobs funded by government, such as NDIS disability support workers and aged-care workers, are counted as private-sector jobs. See 'Who is creating the jobs?' for the industry picture.
How it’s calculated
ABS Labour Account filled jobs by institutional sector (public = all levels of government and public corporations), seasonally adjusted. Growth measured from the June quarter 2022.